We Did Not Go to War, the War Came to Us!
http://slavyangrad.org/2014/08/23/we-did-not-go-to-war-the-war-came-to-us/Militiaman with the call name “Artem” – my old comrade from “Borotba.” Before the war, he organized the working-class youth of Donbass in the struggle against fascism and capitalism, built a local cell organization. When the war started, he could not stand aside and joined the militia. Now “Artem” is wounded in the hospital and I had a chance to talk to him.
- Comrade, tell me how you got into the militia?
- When Maidan events just started, I had a feeling that this time the opposition would move on into a more dangerous stage. Compared with the “Orange” revolution in 2004, in 2014 there were already many organized, prepared, nationalist youth with good financing. The Ultras’ groups had grown and matured. Therefore, there was a feeling that this time they will pass the brink, and civil war is brewing. A split in society existed before, but it was, so to speak, moral civil war, but now the nationalists got a real opportunity to beat, maim and kill dissidents, and do it under the protection of the State. When I saw the death of innocent civilians, and especially the approving mood of a few local “pro-Ukrainian” patriots, I realized that time has chosen us all. The only solution for how to deal with the situation was on us. In this situation, I just went out and started helping the militia.
- How did you get wounded?
- During the heavy artillery shelling of the hero-city of Lugansk. The fact is that the Militia is not only fighting on the front line, the Militia has a responsibility to protect the civilian population as much as possible during the shelling, even at the cost of their own lives. People are already largely used to shelling, but there is still some confusion, disorganization. We did not think that punitive volleys over the residential areas were random, and now there is no doubt. Therefore citizens of Lugansk become more disciplined.
How do you assess the prospects of military operations in the Donbass?
- If you look at the chronology of opposition from the very beginning, you will see how the Militia has grown and strengthened. However, the forces have been unequal until now. But we got another ally, no less important and dangerous to the enemy. Real Bolsheviks will understand the importance of it. This ally – the agitation of Ukrainian soldiers against the war. The way Bolsheviks campaigned against the imperialist war exactly 100 years ago. If more and more Ukrainians, who are fighting for the interests of the Ukrainian and Western capitalists, will begin to refuse to fight or start to organize their soldiers’ committees against the war, the case will be resolved. And this trend exists, it is already apparent. There are two possibilities. Either Ukrainian troops will completely raze Donbass to the ground and will fill it with blood, or a radical turning point will happen and we will throw the punitive forces out of the young republics. You see, peace is no longer possible in the Donbas under the authority of the Junta. Because in case of the Militia’s defeat, a period of reaction, direct genocide and terror against the population will start. And the local “snitches” will be very helpful. Can you imagine a single State of Yugoslavia, after a total war has occurred there? It’s impossible. Only compare with the Yugoslav carnage. We have no hatred for any particular nation, as it was the Serbs and Croats to the Bosnians, and those – the Serbs. If punishers came to control Donbass, they would have to constantly keep ready military units here and sleep with guns. Because it is not a war of the Russian against Ukrainians, this is civil war, where “Juntists” are fighting against anti-fascists.
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